The invention relates to the handling of palletized material with light industrial forklift trucks. Light industrial forklift trucks with a rated capacity of 3500-6000 pounds typically include a pair of outwardly extending forks. The lift trucks may be equipped with standard fixed forks or optional moveable forks which may be adjusted in spacing in a horizontal plane. The typical industrial pallet is constructed from wood and has a base platform, a loading platform, side walls, and a center beam. The fronts and backs of the platform are open to permit entry of the forks. In the typical industrial process of handling palletized material, the forks are inserted on opposing sides of the center beam and the pallet is raised and lowered for loading, unloading, and transportation of the palletized material. In the handling of palletized material on loading docks, such as loading and unloading from a trailer, the handling of a single pallet material by one forklift is time consuming.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,870,356 discloses a material handling fork which includes a plurality of tines suspended on a frame wherein the tines may handle two or more pallets at one time. The tines adjust horizontally to set the pallets down with additional spacing so that they may be later picked up by conventional lift truck. However, the frame for lifting two or more pallets is not suitable for use on a lift truck, particularly a light industrial type lift truck. U.S. Pat. No. 4,280,781 discloses a forklift truck having tines between which the horizontal distance may be regulated.
Accordingly, an object of the invention is to provide a process for increasing the work capacity of industrial forklifts having two forks.
Another object of the invention is to provide an industrial process for handling palletized material in which the material handling capacity is double.
Another object of the invention is to provide a process for handling palletized material on a light industrial truck lift having two forks which doubles the workload capacity of the truck.